Not Feeling Rested? It May Be Sleep
Apnea!

Extreme sleepiness during the day is the most common
symptom of a condition called

Sleep Apnea. Sleep
Apnea is a common, yet serious disorder that occurs when breathing stops for 10
seconds or more during a nightís sleep.
Certain problems in the airway cause interruptions in breathing during
sleep. When the airway narrows, it can
result in snoring, periods of no breathing, and frequent arousals in sleep.

Besides
feeling very drowsy and waking up at night, other symptoms of Sleep Apnea
include:

Loud snoring, choking,
or gasping during sleep

Morning headaches

Trouble with
concentration or memory

Mood changes, depression

In
some patients, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during
sleep. Sleep Apnea also may be triggered
in obese patients when an excess amount of tissue blocks the airway.

Not to Be Dismissed

Sleep Apnea is serious. Untreated, it raises the risk of
high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, irregular heart rhythms, heart
attack, stroke, memory loss, vehicle accidents, and even death. Drowsy driving accounts for more fatal car
accidents than all other vehicle accidents including intoxicated drivers. Some people also lose their jobs due to
falling asleep at work or reduced productivity.

If
you have symptoms of Sleep Apnea night after night, talk to your doctor. You may need to complete a sleep study. During the sleep test, electrodes and sensors
monitor a patientís brain waves, cardiac rhythms, oxygen levels and respiration.

Treatment Available

The vast majority of people suffering from Sleep Apnea
never seek help for their condition. The National Institutes of Health
estimates that up to 18 million Americans have Sleep Apnea and nearly 95% are
undiagnosed. Fortunately, treatment is
easily available and very effective.

Pointe
Coupee General Hospital has opened a new Sleep Disorder Center to diagnosis and
treat Sleep Apnea. The test requires the
patient to spend the night in the Sleep
Disorder Center
where the monitoring takes place. For
most patients, one overnight stay is all that is needed to determine the sleep
disorder and its cause. The Sleep Disorder
Centerís physician
interprets the test results and offers treatment options. The patientís family doctor or specialist is
provided with the test results. If you
or a loved one issuffering from one
or more symptoms of Sleep Apnea, discuss it with your physician soon. You can get the help you need at Pointe Coupee General Hospitalís Sleep
Disorder Center.

SNORING SLEEP QUIZ

YESNO

1. Are you overweight?  

2. Do you have high blood pressure?  

3. Does you spouse lose sleep because of your snoring?  

4. Does your family tease you about snoring?  

5. Are you often tired during the day, even though you get  

a
reasonable amount of sleep each night?

6. Do you become sleepy while driving short or medium distances?  

7. Have you ever had a traffic
accident because of a lapse of  

concentration?

8. Do you feel
sleepy at work?  

9. Does
sleepiness impair your work performance?  

10. Have you ever fallen asleep in a meeting?  

11. Do you have a problem with impotence?  

12. Do you wake up during the night gasping for air?  

13. Do you feel sleepy after lunch?  

If you marked
three or more boxes as TRUE, you
show symptoms of a sleeping disorder.

If you feel that
you may be affected by a sleeping disorder, be sure to speak to your physician.

For more information, call Pointe Coupee
General Hospitalís Sleep Disorders Center at 225-278-0872.